Pres admits issues in medicine, consumables procurement
He said there are challenges at the government's policy level to deal with the problem.
By
Aishath Fareeha Abdulla
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said on Monday that there are problems in the import of medicines and medical consumables to the Maldives that need to be addressed.
Replying to a question from Atoll Times after inaugurating the country's first fertility centre set up at Tree Top Hospital on Monday, the president said there are difficulties when it comes to resolving these issues.
Admitting that there are "networks" active in the business of importing medicines, he said there are challenges at the government's policy level to deal with the problem.
The president said:
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The existing rule that allows specific agents to import particular medicines makes it difficult to import the same combination of drugs from other parts of the world, especially from developed countries such as Europe
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As per the existing policy, it is not possible to import the drug into the Maldives through others
"I believe there is a need to make it easier for hospitals to import quality medicines and medical supplies," he said, adding that the government is working on a system to provide the highest quality of healthcare.
"We need to change that. Unless there is a change, hospitals will not be able to provide the services they want."
Ahmed Nazeer, managing director of the company that runs Tree Top Hospital, also pointed out the difficulties in importing medicines and medical supplies from Europe and said that this is an obstacle to providing high-quality medical care.
